After reading this question, I got strangely excited the thinking I had a relatively older and/or unique experience. Nope, most all you guys are as old as me. Late 90's, early 2000...got a red hat CD in some literature...installed it. Now only use Windows if I need to for work which I haven't needed to for over a decade.
My idea was intentionally unrealistic and meant to represent an extreme. Your suggestion isn't just realistic, it already exists. Admittedly, I'm not really that interested in operating a landscaping company, I just want eliminate some of the unnecessary noise noise.
Not sure how much money that is, but I would start a "quiet landscaping" company that used reel mowers instead of gas mowers, rakes instead of leaf blowers, and I would undercut every landscaping company in my town just to promote the idea of a quiet neighborhood.
I had no idea this was a thing. Yeah for having friends who don't make a big deal about trivial shit.
Yes it can be done on a budget, although the more you get into it, the more alluring the expensive stuff is.
Even without a license, you can get started with some listening only stuff. For me, I picked up an rtl-sdr off Amazon for pretty cheap and started listening to NOAA weather satellites.
Before you start transmitting, you'll need to get your license. Hamstudy.org is a great place to start practicing for the exam.